How to handle rent increases in Montgomery County

Rent increases in Montgomery County may violate current policy

Some elderly residents in a Bethesda independent living building are saying they’ve received notices of rent increases up to nearly 10% in some cases.

CHEVY CHASE, Md. - Elderly residents in a Chevy Chase independent living building say they’re receiving notices of rent increases – up to nearly 10% in some instances.

Most of the people who live at the Five Star Premier Residences are senior citizens.

Alan Bandler and several other residents at the Chevy Chase high-rise say the rent increase is shocking. One woman tells us her rent is being raised by 8% without explanation.

The tenants say it’s larger than the recommended rent increase by Montgomery County’s housing department.

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In response, the county’s housing department says any tenant who has received a notice of rent increase in excess of .4% between Feb. 4th and May 15th of this year, should contact the county’s Office of Landlord-Tenant Affairs and file a complaint to request an investigation.

The Five Star Premier residents say they’re planning to meet with the building’s executive director Wednesday after receiving the rent increase notices a couple of weeks ago.

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FOX 5 also reached out to the building management via phone and email. We’re awaiting a response.

The county wants to remind anyone in a rent increase debacle to contact them by calling 311.